Creativity Is Our Hope

Abstract

In a time of uncertainty, with challenges on a global scale and many problems to be solved, in 2006 UNESCO held a World Conference on Arts Education in Lisbon, Portugal, entitled Building Creative Capacities for the 21st Century. With international participation and global reach, the Director-General’s proclamation that ‘Creativity is our hope’ captured the essence of the proceedings and the focus on creativity was seen as offering routes to solutions to some of the world’s problems. This chapter presents a brief overview of creativity and its impact on all of us, both as individuals and as a global community, as we move into a future that brings hurdles as well as opportunities. To meet these challenges, creativity needs to be a strong thread running through lifelong learning for all. Emphasising the importance of fostering creative thinking in educational contexts, it also presents a model for thinking about creativity as a key component of educational curricula in and for the future.